Wireless technology continues to evolve, and with it so does the wide array of devices available in the marketplace. Further to emerging cellular handsets and Smartphones that have become integral to the lives of consumers, existing applications not traditionally equipped with any means to communicate are becoming wirelessly enabled. For example, various industrial, commercial and/or residential systems may employ wireless communication for the purposes of monitoring, medical, reporting, control, etc.
As the application of wireless communication expands, the powering of wireless devices may become a concern. This concern falls mainly in the realm of mobile communication devices wherein the expanding applicability of wireless communication implies a corresponding increase in power consumption. One way, in which the power problem may be addressed is by increasing battery size and/or device efficiency. Development in both of these areas continues, but may be impeded by the desire to control wireless device size, cost, etc.
Another manner by which mobile wireless device power consumption may be addressed is by facilitating easier recharging of devices. In existing systems, battery-driven devices must be periodically coupled to another power source, e.g., grid power, solar power, fuel cell, and the like, for recharging. Typically this involves maintaining a recharger specific to the device being charged, and mechanically coupling the device to a charging cord for some period of time.
Developments in the area of recharging are being developed to replace this cumbersome process. For example, wireless charging may remove the requirement of having charging equipment corresponding to a particular device to be charged.
Wireless power transfer has the potential to transform electronics by “cutting the last cord,” freeing users from the need to plug in to recharge devices, and changing the design space, for example, by enabling devices with no connectors.
End to end power transfer efficiency of a wireless power receiver is a key performance indicator of the wireless power receiver. The end-to-end power transfer efficiency is based on an efficiency of each power conversion and/or transfer stage of the wireless power receiver.